I am a 29 year old female and for the last 3-5 years I have experianced hot flashes and night sweats. It is getting increasingly worse and I am now waking up about 3 times a night covered in sweat mainly on my torse, back, neck and head. The legs are rarely effected.

My assumption is that it can't possibly be menopause but everything I am finding on the internet is pointing me that way.

Any information or guidance you could provide me is greatly appreciated.

Hello,When women get night sweats relating to menopause it is because of decreasing estrogen. This can happen at other times in your life as well - usually related to hormonal fluctuation or response to artificial hormone treatment as with oral contraceptives. Sometimes the problem is with a different endocrine disorder involving the pituitary or thyroid (master glands that affect the other hormones).

Some medications can also have this as a side effect. You don't mention if you are taking anything at this time. Nerve damage, blood sugar fluctuation or infection (such as TB) can be manifest in this way so it is important to see your health care provider about it in case you need antibiotics. There is also a condition called Idiopathic hyperhidrosis where the body chronically produces too much sweat without any identifiable medical cause.

You should definitely have this checked out if it is ongoing, accompanied by fever or it is interrupting your sleep, necessary for good health. As you can see the possible causes are many and varied so a complete exam with lab work and history is needed for an accurate diagnosis and treatment.